ELEKTRONIKPRAXIS column: Part 036: These 3 main trends will determine internet marketing in B2B in the future

Many B2B companies have already recognised the value of their website. They use their website to build their own brand, retain customers and acquire new customers. The expert for strategic internet marketing in B2B Sanjay Sauldie explains the 3 most important success factors for companies on the new marketplaces.

B2B internet marketing is changing very quickly with major implications for B2B marketing strategies. Budgets are being allocated in very different ways. While online advertising increased by up to 6% in the period from 2007 to 2009 - keyword advertising even increased by up to 19% - traditional advertising measures such as TV and radio are losing valuable market share (loss of 3 to 5%) and even print advertising in consumer magazines has fallen dramatically (-9%).

Despite all these developments, print advertising in trade journals is growing at 4%. Traditional trade fairs and outdoor advertising are the big losers of the new era.

This means that more and more companies in B2B are discovering the value of the website and using internet marketing measures to position their own brand as well as for customer retention and new customer acquisition. If a B2B company is not able to enter these new marketplaces professionally today, it will suffer the consequences of neglect in the coming years. What trends are important in order to gain a foothold in this market or to position yourself better?

Trend 1: Content is the new weapon of the Internet

Valuable content is not only valuable for search engines - but especially for your own customers and your customers' customers. What content can you make available to your customers and what content can you make available to your customers' customers? The battle for these markets has begun and unfortunately there will be many losers in the B2B sector - the weapons are not distributed according to the size of the company, but according to the speed of reaction to changes in the market!

Trend 2: The classic website is dying!

Those who "only" have a website are no longer recognised on the Internet because there is a lack of interaction, opportunities for discussion and participation. Under the topic of "Open Innovation", on which I have given presentations at Deutsche Telekom, websites are becoming portals, forums, new marketplaces with their own life. You can see the video recording of my Open Innovation presentation here.

Those who fail to engage their target group on their own platform will perish in this battle. The positive news: even a small company can suddenly overtake large, immobile companies on the Internet. Whoever strikes first, wins!

Imagine creating something like a "XING" for your target group. Of course, others will imitate you if you are the first to do it right. But think about it: How many other comparable portals like XING do you have a presence on? Take a look! It's worth taking the first step! I would be happy to support you with my experience!

Trend 3: Multimedia or don't exist at all!

Videos are becoming increasingly important - and not just for your marketing! At a human resources fair, I had the honour of giving a presentation on the effects of the Internet on recruitment. Highly qualified applicants are increasingly choosing the companies themselves. One of the really important criteria was how the company presents itself using multimedia.

If you feel like it, just take a look at the following video: www.marktvorsprung.de Your code: AM68167 In times of demographic change, which company can afford to lose well-trained people to competitors? The battle for the best employees has long since begun - and is already starting in the A-levels! See my tip 24

The world around us has changed - there used to be the saying "If you do everything the same way as before, you will only get what you got before!" This saying no longer applies today - the new change of mind is: "If you do everything the same way as before, you will get much less than before!". Think about it! I look forward to a lively exchange of ideas with you!